OCEAN SPRINGS -- Ocean Springs Police Chief Lionel Cothern said in a written report to the board of aldermen that those involved with the new drug task force proposed by Pascagoula, Gautier and Moss Point have attempted to pressure him into joining the new task force rather than remaining with the existing Jackson County Task Force.

In his report, Cothern said members of the new task force had already made phone calls to an unnamed Ocean Springs police officer in the hopes of influencing him to persuade Cothern to support the new task force.

He also wrote that the new task force was interested in putting pressure on Ocean Springs aldermen, as well.

"The newly-selected commander asked which Ocean Springs Alderman do we need to work on?" Cothern wrote. "My reply was none -- I will report back to my Board with answers and my reccomendations."

During Tuesday night's aldermen meeting, board members were in agreement that dividing local law enforcement resources was not in the best interests of the public.

"Right now, the way it's going, even if it's the best option to stay with the county, it's not the best solution," said Ward II alderman Matt McDonnell. "The residents of the county deserve the best protection they can get and that's not what they're going to get with this solution."

Pascagoula, Gautier and Moss Point pulled out of the inter-local agreement with Jackson County in the wake of a July shooting at the county task force office -- one which Sheriff Mike Byrd did not immediately make known to the public or other task force members.

Former JCTF commander, Sgt. Jackie Trussell, has been indicted by the Jackson County Grand Jury on a misdemeanor simple assault charge. According to reports, he fired his weapon at the feet of another officer, JCSO Deputy Chad Powell, after Powell poked at him with a syringe, reportedly making fun of Trussell's fear of needles.

Powell was wounded in his left shin, reportedly by fragments from the floor caused by the bullet from Trussell's gun.

A subsequent investigation by the Mississippi Bureau of Investigation lead to the Jackson County District Attorney's Office seeking the indictment against Trussell.

In his report to the Ocean Springs board, Cothern said he had inquired about the possibility of Ocean Springs being a member of both task forces, but was told it would be illegal for the city to have two inter-local agreements.

"This is not correct," Cothern wrote. "It was an attempt to influence out of ignorance."

Jackson County Supervisor John McKay attended Monday's meeting and said he isn't sure there's any solution to the rift between the Sheriff's Department and the three other municipalities.

"This may be a case of Humpty Dumpty can't get back together again," McKay said.

McKay said he's also spoken with Byrd, who is willing to allow the other municipalities to come back to the county task force, but has received a much cooler reception from police personnel in those cities.

"I've talked with officers in Pascagoula, Moss Point and Gautier," he said. "I guess I'm not much of a negotiator, because nobody's seeing it my way.

"I'm not a police officer," McKay continued. "All I know is common sense and common sense tells me that one unified group is better than two divided. Maybe it will work. Maybe the two groups will be able to work together, but I have my doubts."

Ward I alderman John Gill agreed.

"There's obviously bad blood at work here and the shame of it is it's the people of Jackson County who suffer because of it," Gill said.

In a letter to McKay dated Nov. 15, Mayor Connie Moran advised that the city would continue it's participation in the Jackson County Task Force.

"The city has benefitted many years from our partnership," Moran wrote, "which we intend to continue into the future."

She reiterated that position Monday night.

"We've not seen anything to convince us to split off from the Sheriff's Department," Moran said.

Also at issue for Ocean Springs are the costs associated with joining the new task force. A intitial "buy-in" of $25,000 for operational expenses would be required at a time when the city is already facing a $200,000 budget deficit for 2012-13.

"We don't have that kind of money," said Ward IV alderman Jerry Dalgo.

In addition, should the new task force not receive federal funding, there would be an expense of $30,000 for cleanup of each meth lab discovered by the task force. The county already has $200,000 budgeted for meth lab cleanup.

McDonnell asked Cothern to study the issue further and report back to the board next month with the options available to the city. McDonnell said he'd consider joining the new task force "if that's going to be the most efficient option for the city."

McKay ended by expressing his frustration at the situation.

"I'm really disappointed that the leadership of the cities and the sheriff's department haven't been able to work this out," he said.